Written by Deborah Cox, Amplio Training As a Training Provider delivering various Accredited First Aid courses, I often find organisations and businesses are confused about what kind of First Aid training they should provide, or even whether to provide First Aid training at all. This regularly results in employers putting off the decision, and so […]

As a Training Provider delivering various Accredited First Aid courses, I often find organisations and businesses are confused about what kind of First Aid training they should provide, or even whether to provide First Aid training at all.

This regularly results in employers putting off the decision, and so not meeting their legal First Aid at Work requirements.

Reasons Why?

Saving Lives

Reducing the Number of Accidents in the Workplace

LEGAL REQUIREMENT – avoid prosecution!

1. Saving lives:

First aid gives your staff the confidence and ability to react effectively with someone suffering from an accident, injury or illness before professional medical help arrives. It can prevent minor injuries becoming major ones. Immediate and appropriate first aid can save lives.

For example every minute without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent. Performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival in some cases (BHF, 2018)

2. Reducing the Number of Accidents in the Workplace

As employees gain confidence and clarity through training they become much more safety aware; hazards and potential incidents spotted before they occur and First Aid kits maintained properly and used effectively.

This collective awareness helps reduce the number of accidents that occur in the workplace. Rapid reaction to illness or injury, whilst waiting for medical assistance arrives, saves lives and reduces recovery time of the patient, benefiting both employee and employer.

There has also been found tangible benefits for employees in knowing that first aid cover has been catered for (Research Report 069, HSE, 2004).

3. Legal Requirement

HSE (Health and Safety Executive) will prosecute in cases where there is a significant risk, a disregard for established standards or persistent poor compliance with the law. Rochdale plastics manufacturer TS (UK) was fined £140,000 after a worker was crushed to death by a one-and-a-half tonne pallet of polypropylene.

The firm admitted failing to ensure the safety of its employees, and not having a trained first aider on duty. As an employer you may not feel there is a risk of killing your employees, but employers are fined by HSE every day – Logistics firm Palletways (UK) must pay more than £100,000 in fines and costs after “a string of management failings” delayed access to medical treatment when a forklift driver broke his neck.

The HSE’s investigation found that though Hill was bleeding from a visible head wound, the depot manager did not know who the first aiders were? The fines vary in severity depending on the type of offence, and can be administered if a company is found to be in breach of any of the guidelines set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Under The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 regardless of the size of the company, employers are legally obliged to plan for the assessment of need and provision of first aid in the work place.

These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed. This involves consideration of workplace hazards and risks, the size of the organisation and other relevant factors to determine what First Aid equipment, facilities and personnel should be provided.

As an employer you must ensure your employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. You must provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to deal with emergency situations and to provide aid before further support arrives.

Employers must make sure that someone is always available and suitably trained to give or arrange first aid in the work place. This applies if the designated first aider is absent for any reason. There should be a sufficient number of suitably trained personnel available to cover First Aid during all working hours on all sites.

By Sofy Robertson Amazon announced a new environmental commitment this week, focused on reducing its carbon footprint. The company’s “Shipment Zero” plan aims to reach 50% of all its shipments with net zero carbon by 2030. Details on this long-term project aren’t available yet but Amazon says it plans to share its company-wide carbon footprint […]

Amazon announced a new environmental commitment this week,
focused on reducing its carbon footprint.

The company’s “Shipment Zero” plan aims to reach 50% of all
its shipments with net zero carbon by 2030.

Details on this long-term project aren’t available yet but Amazon says it plans to share its company-wide carbon footprint “along with related goals and programs,” at a later date. (Tech Crunch)

Due to the size of its business, it is important that Amazon
is transparent on its sustainability plans and as one of the world’s largest
global corporations, setting a good example is key.

At present, Amazon runs programs which include Frustration-Free
packaging and Ship in Own Container in an effort to be environmentally
conscious. They also have a network of solar and wind farms and employ more than
200 scientists, engineers and product designers who are dedicated to developing
new ways to leverage Amazon’s scale for the “good of the customers and planet”.

Amazon’s renewed effort to be green may have come as a result of a recet Greenpeace report that stated that Amazon was failing to deliver on its commitment to shift to renewable energy. The report said that Amazon’s data centres in Virginia are powered by only 12% renewable energy, which compared with Facebook’s 37% and Microsoft’s 34% seems shockingly low. Amazon’s corporate blog post briefly addressed the report’s findings, saying:

“Amazon has a long-term goal to power our global infrastructure using 100 percent renewable energy, and we are making solid progress.”

Amazon says it will offer more details of its Shipment Zero plan and other programs to reduce their carbon footprint later this year.

Grow Talk by Sofy Robertson When we think of traditional milestone events in life, the obvious ones that spring to mind are coming of age, getting married and having children. Though these still may be major markers for adult life, they may no longer be the most important measures by which to gauge our adult […]

When we think of traditional milestone events in life, the
obvious ones that spring to mind are coming of age, getting married and having
children. Though these still may be major markers for adult life, they may no
longer be the most important measures by which to gauge our adult success.

There is no hiding from that fact that our modern society is
drastically different from a society just twenty years previous; the prevalence
of technology and social media, the shifts in economy and values and so much more
has contributed to a change in the markers of adulthood. We are experiencing
life markers that we may not have just half a century ago, such as moving in
with a partner, and those more ‘traditional’ markers like getting married or
owning our own homes have seen a drastic shift in terms of when they happen on
an average adult timeline.

Grow Talk delves into how these life events are changing and
why these shifts are occurring to offer a snapshot of Milestones for a Modern
World.

19 Years Old; Starting Full Time Work

At nineteen years old, 50% of people are in full-time
employment. In the past twenty years, only two age groups have seen their
employment rate decline: those aged 16-17 and those aged 18-24.

The main factor behind this decline is education; more young
people are staying on at schools and colleges and progressing to university.
Between 1998 and 2018, the average age that people left education increased
from 17.8 years to 19.3 years.

This increase has been partly driven by official changes as
in 2015 the age at which you are expected to stay on in education changed from
16 to 18 for students in England. However, the main explanation is the increase
in people choosing to remain in education beyond 18 with around a third of 18-year-olds now going on
to university compared with a quarter in 2006.

23 Years Old; Moving Out

On average, people are living with their parents longer than
they used to. In 1997, more than 50% of 21-year-olds had already left home
whereas two decades later, the first age at which 50% of young people had left
their parental home was 23.

Young men are more likely to stay with their parents longer than young women; in 2017, 37% of men aged 18-34 years-old lived with their parents compared with 26% of women in the same age group.

Potential reasons for this could be that women have
traditionally moved in with a partner at younger ages than men and women are
also more likely to go to university.

Living with parents is now the most common living
arrangement for young adults. In 1997, the most common living arrangement for
those aged 18-34 years old was as a couple with one or more children. By 2017,
this had changed to young adults living with their parents.

The most likely cause of this has been the increase in cost
in both renting and buying homes. The average age at which people get married
and have children has also risen. These factors in combination with the number
of people staying in education and not working full-time may have encouraged
more young adults to live with their parents for longer.

27 Years Old; Moving in with a Partner

Unlike many of the other milestones, the age at which people
move in with a partner has not changed much over the last few decades, fluctuating
between 26 and 27.

More than 50% of 27-year-olds
were living with a partner in 2017. Women are more likely to move in with their
partner earlier than men, with more than 50% of 26-year-old women living with a
partner.

29 Years Old; Having a Baby

The age at which women have
their first child has been increasing for more than forty years. In 2016, the
average age of a first-time mother was 29; this was two years later than in
1997.

There are no figures
available for the average age of first-time fathers as when births are
registered, fathers aren’t asked if they have children already. On average, the
age of fathers in England and Wales is around three years higher than for all
mothers. In 2017, the average age of all fathers (not just first-time
fathers) in England and Wales was 33.4 years, compared with 31.5 years in 1997.

We can speculate as to the reasons for this; with more people, and in particular women, undertaking college and university degrees this could push back aspirations to start a family. This also has a direct effect on when people are starting employment with career priorities then becoming greater than starting a family. Finally, as many young people are living with parents for longer, the goal of moving out and having their own property may thus be a more urgent consideration before starting a family.

32 Years Old; Getting Married

Traditionally, marriage has been viewed as a precursor to having children. However in the UK today, people in their 20s are more likely to have children than be married. The average age of first-time marriage increased in 2015 to 33 for men and 31 for women (up from ages 30 and 27 respectively in 1997).

Looking back a little
further, the increase in age of first-time marriages is even more pronounced. In
England and Wales in 1979, 94% of 34-year-old women, and 88% of
34-year-old men were currently married or had been married. By 2015, this
figure had fallen to 51% of 34-year-old women and 41% of 34-year-old men.

The number of opposite-sex marriages fell by 3.4% from 2014
to 2015, with marriage rates for opposite-sex couples

“now at their lowest level on record following a gradual long-term decline since the early 1970s”. (BBC)

There are numerous potential reasons for people choosing to
get married later in life or not get married at all. A significant
consideration has to be the rise in wedding prices and house prices over the
years, which has increased the cost of setting up a family considerably. With
the average
cost of a wedding in the UK reaching £30,355, it is no wonder that many
couples are choosing to ditch tradition in favour of saving for a house, or
even just a holiday.

There is also undoubtedly a change of attitude towards marriage; it is no longer frowned upon to live together when unwed and there is less parental pressure to marry. Marriage was previously seen as an obligation and a precursor to having children, whereas now it is viewed as a choice and a reaffirmation of a couple’s love to their friends and family.

As divorce rates rise, the impact of seeing parents go through painful break-ups can also be considered. Peter Saddington, a relationship counsellor with the charity Relate explains:

“Increasingly, more children are growing up in relationships where parents have separated… this is one of the biggest influences on whether or not they [themselves] want to get married.”

Don’t despair Grow readers, the age of romance is not necessarily dead. The decline in marriages and the increasing age that people are choosing to get married does not speak to a lack of serious or long-term relationships in the UK. Instead, it suggests that the value of marriage itself has declined and that many couples no longer see it as an obligation, or even a priority, in their relationships.

34 Years Old; Becoming a Home Owner

Unsurprisingly, the age at which people own their own home
is continuing to rise. It is only at the age of 34 that more than 50% of people
live in a home they own (based on the age of household reference persons,
individuals within a household who act as a reference person for all
individuals in the household). The age of becoming a home owner has seen an
almost ten year increase since 1997 when the youngest age at which more than
50% of people became homeowners was 26.

Over the last twenty years, renting, whether from the private
or social sector, has become more common across all but the oldest age groups. The
most substantial change has been seen for those aged between 25 and 34. Of those
among this age group in 2018, 55% were renting which is up 20% from 1998.

The main factors contributing to this change are likely to be financially related. The cost of an entry-level property has been steadily rising and this coupled with the increase in tuition fees that those who attended University in England after 2012 have had to endure has likely led to young people taking longer to save for a house.

The disparity between the cost of buying a house and ones salary
is also a necessary factor when considering why it is taking people so much
longer to buy a house. In 1993, the average house price was 4.9 times the
average household salary of a household headed by a 16- to 24-year-old. In
2016, it was 8.2 times (a decline from its peak of 11.2 times in 2007).

A final consideration that must be taken into account is the change in lifestyle and attitude of young people. The concept of a gap year is now an established one in the UK with many young people deferring University placements or full-time employment in favour of travel. With this in mind, renting is the sensible option for the new and relatively unsettled modern generation due to its flexibility.

Retirement; A Constantly Changing Milestone

The number of British workers who consider themselves
retired before the age of 65 has been falling since 2011, from a peak of 1.6
million to 1.15 million.

Aviva
has suggested that if the current rate of decline continues, then retirement
before 65 could be at zero in the UK within the next twenty years.

Data taken from a study last year by Willis
Towers Watsonfound that the number of employees expecting to work past
the age of 70 has nearly doubled in seven years. David Bird, head of
proposition and development at LifeSight, Willis Towers Watson’s UK DC Master
Trust said:

“The fact that people are retiring later is not bad news in itself, as many studies have revealed numerous benefits associated with working longer.

“But it’s worrying that many who are expecting to retire later are not doing so out of choice and are therefore more stressed and less engaged with their job.” (The Independent)

A major factor which has likely contributed to a decrease in
those retiring before 65 is the government’s increase in the age at which people
can claim their State Pension. By October 2020, the age at which men and women
can claim will be 66 and there are further increases planned to raise the eligibility
age to 67 between 2026 and 2028.

A further contributing cause could be the need to continue earning an income to stave off debt. Since 2016, the levels of both secured and unsecured debt
held by the over-65s has increased from £70bn to an estimated £85bn in just two
years. This has been blamed on pension shortfalls, the launch of pensions
freedoms and unexpected bills like car repairs.

Milestones We Didn’t Mention

The above milestones are by no means the only markers by which we measure our lives. A UK study of almost 2000 adults between the ages of 16-65 examined further milestones and the average age at which they occur. So, if you were wondering, here are the highlights:

The first kiss, a milestone for some and something to block
out permanently for others, occurs at the tender age of 15 according to the
study.

The average age to pass your driving test was 20 and
becoming a bridesmaid or best man was set for 23.

Embarking on your first holiday without mum or dad should happen around the age of 21 and taking two holidays a year should be affordable by the age of 37.

How do you measure up to the average milestone?

If you’re anything like me, you may have read through the list of average ages and felt a little unsettled that you ‘achieved’ a milestone way before or way after what is considered the ‘new normal’. Equally, if you’re a knowledge geek like me, you will have found your focus drawn to the factors behind the statistics and taken a Sherlock-esque “elementary, my dear Watson” attitude in piecing together the puzzle and pondering over the differences between your generation and that of your parents.

If you would like to get in touch and tell us about your
milestones, engage us on Facebook or tweet
@GrowExeter.

Statistics for this article have been taken from the Office of National Statistics latest report, unless otherwise specified, which can be viewed here.

]]>https://grow-media.co.uk/grow-talk/milestones-modern-world-changes/feed/0GrowHeroes And Horses Take Centre Stage On Gentlemen’s Day In Support Of The Armed Forceshttps://grow-media.co.uk/charity/gentlemens-day-exeter-racecourse-heroes-armed-forces/
https://grow-media.co.uk/charity/gentlemens-day-exeter-racecourse-heroes-armed-forces/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 10:30:36 +0000https://grow-media.co.uk/?p=40092

Heroes of the armed forces will be front line at Exeter Racecourse on Sunday 24th March, when the track stages its first ever Gentlemen’s Day in support of the Armed Forces. The racecourse and Exeter-based 6 Rifles have combined forces to create an action packed day that will also be a fund raiser for the […]

Heroes of the armed forces will be front line at Exeter Racecourse on Sunday 24th March, when the track stages its first ever Gentlemen’s Day in support of the Armed Forces.

The racecourse and Exeter-based 6 Rifles have combined forces to create an action packed day that will also be a fund raiser for the Army’s national charity, the Army Benevolent Fund.

And it won’t just be horses that pull in the crowds as a spokesman from 6 Rifles explained:

“The Rifles is the Army’s largest infantry Regiment, with five regular and three reserve units, and a wide range of roles and capabilities: 6 Rifles will showcase some of The Rifles key equipment and capabilities, providing an interactive display involving the impressive Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle and a capability stand. There will also be a climbing wall, provided by the Army’s regional Outreach Team. The Salamanca Band and Bugles will be on hand to provide a taste of the regiments unique history and traditions.”

The Rifles, on behalf of the Army in the South West, has its head quarters at Wyvern Barracks, Exeter and is looking to build closer links with civic and business organisations across the region.

The racecourse’s General Manager Jack Parkinson said:

“With this in mind, a collaboration with the racecourse works perfectly and we are absolutely thrilled to be supporting 6 Rifles and the Armed Forces.

“With the superb Salamanca Band here for the day, and so much additional entertainment for our racegoers to enjoy, we hope we’ll really be able to showcase the invaluable work of the armed forces while creating a raceday to remember and raising plenty of money for the ABF.”

With incredible prizes on offer for the best dressed gentlemen, including a one off chance to enjoy a ceremonial dinner at Wyvern Barracks, it’s a day to embrace the West country’s armed forces.

Entry for Under 18s is free while members of the Armed Forces are eligible for £5 entry on pre-booked Grandstand and Paddock tickets by keying in an exclusive code available via the racecourse.

Seven races make up the card with the first off at 2.10pm with gates open at 12.10pm when the Salamanca Band will be playing.

Written by Joff Alexander-Frye Photos supplied by Clodagh Murphy Before I get going, let me address the elephant in the room. It’s not Kl-ow-dag. It’s certainly not Kl-o-d-ah-sh. It’s pronounced Kl-oh-d-ah. Clodagh Murphy has had to overcome multiple obstacles in her journey towards success, one being the challenge of teaching English and American people how […]

Before I get going, let me address the elephant in the room. It’s not Kl-ow-dag. It’s certainly not Kl-o-d-ah-sh. It’s pronounced Kl-oh-d-ah.

Clodagh Murphy has had to overcome multiple obstacles in her journey towards success, one being the challenge of teaching English and American people how to pronounce her Irish name correctly. So, first things first, I thought I’d help get that out of the way.

I recently met Clodagh in Exploding Bakery on Queen Street for a catch up and chat about being a woman in the male-dominated world of I.T, her new role as Chairman of ExIST (Exeter Initiative for Science and Technology) and her journey before and since moving to Exeter twelve years ago. Good coffee, good company and good conversation. What more could an Editor want?

Our conversation started with Clodagh telling me about her Irish roots. As Clodagh started telling me her back-story (in her trademark thick Irish accent), I found out that she was born in Dublin and the second eldest of six children. Her father owned, and still owns, a pub, which she grew up in and eventually started working in too, meaning that she experienced first-hand the energy and work ethic required to be successful in an extremely competitive market. This is something that has stuck with Clodagh into her adult life.

After leaving school, Clodagh attended university but, having already been exposed to the world of commerce through her family’s business, she found academia tough to adapt to and eventually dropped out after the end of her first year. After another short stint working at her Dad’s pub, Clodagh explained,

“Essentially, I followed a boy to San Francisco, as you do! We had been dating for some time but, unfortunately the relationship broke down after about six weeks of me arriving in America. I had a real crossroads-type decision to make. Do I go back home and work in the family pub, or do I be brave and try and make a go of it by myself here in America? California was a million miles away from how sheltered Dublin was at the time. They were ‘chalk and cheese’ but it was an amazing growing up experience for me and helped me to stand properly on my own two feet for the first time.”

Clodagh landed her first ever office job working as a P.A for a mutual funds company in San Francisco and stayed there for three years, moving roles a few times and, finally, ending up in I.T. By this point, she was twenty-three and the novel Irish girl amongst her friendship group of Americans. This is where her love for, and career in, I.T started. She shadowed the I.T department and realised that she enjoyed playing with computers, fixing them and working out how they functioned. She had found her groove and now it was time to move forwards into it. San Francisco was the welcoming, inclusive place that Clodagh needed to explore and find her own path. For that, it will always have a special place in her heart.

After more than three years in America, Clodagh decided that she wanted to study and qualify in the field of I.T, but it was too expensive to do so in America, so she chose to move back to Ireland. There, she got a job working for the Irish equivalent of BT, Eircom, and studied during the evenings at Trinity College for four years, eventually graduating and gaining her degree. At the time, Eircom was going through a significant and prolonged period of change as they attempted to modernise the business and Clodagh was one of many young people brought in to freshen up and diversify the organisation. Her work ethic and experience working in the US stood her in good stead, particularly as she had got used to starting work at 7am in America, a habit that she continued at Eircom (meaning that she was always first in and had got an hour or two’s work done before her colleagues turned up).

After completing her degree, she started looking for roles outside of Ireland. The UK had a strong appeal as it was closer to home and so she decided to move to England and was offered a Directorship at communications and I.T specialist KCOM in Hull; a huge step up in her career. Her role was based around transitioning KCOM into becoming a more customer-centric organisation and many of the projects and processes that she initiated during her time there are still going strong to this day.

At this point, Clodagh’s ambition was to, one day, become an I.T Director but she wanted to gain a more well-rounded experience in all aspects of her industry before doing so. She explained,

“I approached the Executive Director at the time and explained my situation and my ambitions. I outright asked if he could make use of my skills and experience and, fortunately, there was a need within the Eclipse part of the business. It was this vacancy that brought me down to Exeter in 2006 and I haven’t looked back since.”

Commenting on how she has found Exeter as a place to live and work, she continued,

“There is something almost impossible to describe about Exeter which I have felt since the very first time we drove into the city to look at houses. It is a truly special place which sort of just ‘gets you’. The people here are lovely. The area itself is second-to-none too. The activities and leisure options are great and only getting better. I couldn’t imagine raising my children in any of the previous places I have lived. I love that this is where they get to grow up. In actual fact, that is one of the strong ties that holds us here.”

Clodagh then went on to become Managing Director of Eclipse in 2009, a role which also included being on the Operational Board of parent company KCOM. She stayed in that role until June 2015 when she stepped out following a strategic review on the future of the KCOM business.

This was another crossroads moment for Clodagh, with the next move in her career likely to be a significant one. She chose to spend the summer away with her husband and children, before coming home in the September to find out that she was pregnant with their third child. What followed was a somewhat enforced, but wholly enjoyable, eighteen months out of work, continuing to raise their first two children and welcoming their third into the family unit. As a father to three children myself, I could relate only too well to the transition between two and three. Apparently, the fourth onwards is ‘much of a muchness’, but for us, the third was a big gear-change – with more of ‘them’ than there are of ‘you’.

It was, then, in January 2017, that Clodagh delved back into the world of work, accepting a role as Chief Operating Officer for Timico Technology Services, a technology company based in the Midlands. She enjoyed the role but found the travel (up on a Monday, back on a Friday) very difficult, particularly because of the ages of her young children.

With honesty and humility, Clodagh added,

“To some extent, I think there is a pressure for women to become ‘Super Women’ nowadays. Actually, the truth of the matter is that we are all finite beings and have finite supplies of energy, brain space and emotional capacity. I kind of got fed up trying to do it all and realised that it wasn’t making any of us happy, as the constant juggling of priorities and the guilt of being away so much during the week was too much. It was a really tough decision but one that we haven’t looked back from.”

It was upon her return to Exeter that Clodagh started talking more intentionally with ExIST as Robert McIlwraith, their previous chairman, was leaving his role and they were actively looking for his replacement. Clodagh expanded,

“ExIST facilitates knowledge sharing and promotes STEMM activity in the Greater Exeter area. This role caught my attention for many reasons. I felt quite disconnected to the local area having worked away for several years. My children are in local schools, but I didn’t really know many people and certainly hadn’t actively networked in the city on a professional front. With a real interest in science and technology as well as some complementary skills and experience in business, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to explore a role that would both interest me but also give me a chance to ‘give back’. I want to do my bit to help this vibrant area create opportunities so that my children and their generation can, if they choose to, pursue their careers fully in this region.”

I have spoken to probably hundreds of people about Exeter’s need to focus on retention in order for its growth story to continue. However, I’ve never once heard such a personal and selfless application of that subject. Clodagh doesn’t just want to inspire her own children. She wants to play her part in the next generation of Exeter being inspired, empowered and more confident in the city that they live in.

Brava Clodagh. Brava.

To find out more about ExIST or to monitor their journey, follow @ExIST_Exeter on Twitter.

Written by Stella Nicholls Photos provided by Sophie Millington “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet Flowers are like nature’s love letters to us, they are beautiful, often fragrant and can brighten up even the gloomiest of rooms (or moods). From a blush of colour to […]

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet

Flowers are like nature’s love letters to us, they are beautiful, often fragrant and can brighten up even the gloomiest of rooms (or moods).

From a blush of colour to woo on Valentine’s day, a celebration of love as we ‘tie the proverbial knot’ to a sombre show of respect as we mourn a lost loved one. A single flower has the power to evoke a bouquet of different emotions.

I remember the rush of delight on receiving a rose from an unknown admirer one Valentine’s day when I was still at school. My imagination ran amok as to who it might be from as I hugged myself in secret delight (while still trying to maintain my ‘coolness’ amongst my friends). And that’s the tip of the iceberg, flowers serve many practical purposes too, from feeding insects and birds to making tea, jams or jellies.

I was delighted, therefore, to recently meet with Sophie Millington, owner and founder of Flowers by Sophie Millington. Sophie runs a wedding studio in Alphington and has also recently opened a lovely little flower shop on Castle Street, Exeter.

Sophie started out studying fashion but during her second year decided that after completing her degree, she would change direction to follow her love of flowers. She recalls passing a florist in London one day and seeing a girl in fingerless gloves out in the elements. She thought, I don’t care that it looks cold, I really want to do that!

She wrote to many different businesses to enquire as to whether they would take her on as a trainee and was delighted when The Real Flower Company, who specialise in roses, replied. She remembers thinking that the roses were the best she’d ever seen or smelt in her life and that she’d happily work for free!

Sophie was trained by a dynamic woman named Lynn, who was meticulous in sharing her expertise while they worked together. It was four years later that Sophie realised she had reached the point where she was ready to branch out on her own. Having grown up in Exeter she decided that it was time to come home and start a business in the South West.

She loves the beauty of the Devon landscape, foraging the countryside and hunting in charity shops for bits and pieces to add to her creations. Her eclectic, natural style, is her unique ‘signature’ as a florist and I must say, I am a fan!

Likening herself to ‘a bit of a magpie’, she enjoys finding that ‘one off’ vessel to add to an arrangement. Antique suitcases, old containers, or trinkets that turn a work of floristry ‘art’ into an original masterpiece. The contrast of the different colours, in an elegant floral display, against an antique vessel and the way they blend together, is magical.

She describes her style as being unusual, not traditional floristry. As we chatted, I noticed the natural, organic arrangements that were displayed around the shop. There is something earthy and authentic about them, like walking through a beautiful field of wildflowers and grasses. One of her greatest influences has been The Real Flower Company, who Sophie says “grow their own very beautiful natural looking roses and incorporate things like herbs and lush textures into their arrangements”. She thinks that greenery does a lot in terms of her displays, she laughed and said that she’s all for “going OTT with the greenery”.

Sophie’s main line of business comes from providing floral arrangements for weddings, which has really grown over the last five years. She also enjoys the lovely supportive network of florists in Exeter too.

I asked Sophie how she approaches the task of knowing what flowers will work for each wedding. She replied that it’s what the couple wants combined with her own style and the season plays a part too. If the couple isn’t sure, she will happily offer them some ideas. She says, “Everyone is different and that’s what I like”, the variety.

The wedding day goes so much deeper than just preparing the flowers. She loves getting to know the couple and forging a bond which she hopes will remain with them as a positive memory. I thought, at this point, that the connection she makes must translate into her fulfilling their floral requirements “to the T”.

The other, more recent, side of the business is the shop in Castle Street (open from Thursday to Saturday at the moment) where she has successfully hosted several workshops.

The workshops are held in the evenings and are an outlet for people to come and be creative for a few hours. They also have the added benefit of having their floral creation in the house for a week. She joked that it often turns into ‘lovely chaos’ as people come to escape everyday life and have a bit of a ‘jolly’ while learning a new skill.

People enjoy connecting with each other at the workshops too, meeting new people, making a new friend and on occasion a valuable business connection.

Sophie also mentioned that she is running a (fabulously named) workshop called ‘Petals, pints and pies’ (directed more towards men but anyone can join) from a brewery, for Valentines Day. Sounds scrumptious!

I noticed that the shop carries a variety of stock, aside from flowers, and Sophie explained that the different soaps, candles and the like all relate to flowers too (and they smell so good!) The botanically inspired items are all locally made in the South West.

She is quite particular about what she uses, preferring to use seasonal and locally grown flowers and foliage. Whilst Sophie sometimes needs to source flowers from overseas – if a wedding demands it, for example, the majority of flowers have been grown and cut locally. She prefers them not to have travelled for miles and says that while it isn’t always possible, it’s one of the things that she tries her hardest to stick to.

I asked Sophie what some of the challenges have been along the way, and she said it is the flowers themselves. When the weather is exceptionally hot, she has to adapt her timings and act quite quickly to keep them as fresh as possible. She also has to work on things right up to the mark, especially at weddings, and you never know what is going to happen on the day, there are a lot of variables.

She went on to say that, “any problems are mini hurdles” and can be overcome. Late nights and early mornings are part and parcel of a florist’s life, and she wouldn’t change a thing.

If you would like to find out more about the workshops that Sophie runs, or are in need of a Wedding Consultation, pop onto her website.

Grow Talk by Sofy Robertson This week, the Australian government announced its plans to plant a billion trees by 2050 as part of a new forestry plan to help the country meet its Paris Agreement climate targets. This tree spree would contribute to the removal of 18 million tons of greenhouse gas per year by […]

This week, the Australian government announced its plans to plant
a billion trees by 2050 as part of a new forestry plan to help the country meet
its Paris Agreement climate targets.

This tree spree would contribute to the removal of 18 million tons of greenhouse gas per year by 2030; a necessary dent in a country that is currently producing in excess of 500 million tons of CO2-equivalent per year.

The Regional Forestry Hubs plan would also support jobs in a
sector that contributes more than A$23 billion to the national economy. Australia
has the seventh-largest forested area in the world covering 17% of its land
area, according to the government’s 2018 State of the Forests report. Australia’s
Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted:

“Our Government is committed to supporting all Australia’s traditional industries, including forestry.”

However the importance of coal to the Australian economy
remains a serious obstacle to efforts to lower carbon emissions, say
environmentalists. The country still gets around two thirds of its power from
the fuel, which is also its biggest export earner.

Australia’s decision to embark on a tree spree coincides with new research from ETH Zurich that found that a campaign of tree-planting worldwide could make a substantial dent in the world’s net greenhouse gas emissions. Researcher Thomas Crowther stated that trees are “our most powerful weapon in the fight against climate change.”

Crowther and his colleagues estimate that the Earth could support
a trillion extra trees and explained:

“It’s a beautiful thing because everyone can get involved. Trees literally just make people happier in urban environments, they improve air quality, water quality, food quality, ecosystem service, it’s such an easy, tangible thing.” (Futurism)

Earlier research from the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive has supported the importance of planting trees, and in this case, dinosaur trees, in tackling climate change.

Australia’s tree planting plan alone may not have the desired impact on their emissions and therefore their Paris Agreement targets, but perhaps it will encourage other countries to embark on tree binges to combat climate change.

Written by Stella Nicholls Photos provided by Crane & Kind and Stella Nicholls Walking through the beautiful seaside town of Sidmouth, I recently happened upon a visual delight in pink. Not a stunning fashion model, posing for a photo shoot, as one might perhaps expect from someone who has designed for Conde Nast, but instead, […]

Walking through the beautiful seaside town of Sidmouth, I recently happened upon a visual delight in pink. Not a stunning fashion model, posing for a photo shoot, as one might perhaps expect from someone who has designed for Conde Nast, but instead, it was graphic designer Polly McLachlan’s latest creation. A wonderful little shop, called ‘Crane and Kind’.

Polly McLachlan – passionate that her mark on the world is a positive one, loves to challenge herself and prove that she can do the things she dreams of. The Post Graduate Scholarship winner (at the prestigious Domus Academy in Milan) and freelance graphic designer for Conde Nast, publishers of high-end magazines like Vogue and GQ, is one of the most down to earth people that I’ve interviewed. She made me feel right at home, with a coffee and a chat in the family lifestyle store that she and her sister recently opened. During our time together, Polly mentioned that being in Devon next to the sea, while still seeing her ads in Vogue, is an amazing feeling.

Having had a bit of a “false start”, as she put it, Polly found her calling after enrolling at Exeter College to complete an Art Foundation Course. Her creative passions ignited, she thoroughly enjoyed her year, realising that she had the talent needed to pursue her dreams. And it opened up a whole new world for her!

After the course, she enrolled at university in Cardiff to complete a degree in Fashion Promotion, where she specialised in Graphic Design. She spent her final year at uni, finessing her style but it was that classic case of coming out of university and thinking, oh my gosh, what do I do now?

Her course leader, recommended that she apply for a scholarship at the Domus Academy in Milan. She put together her application, sending it off with the thought that she was probably never going to hear back. Amazingly, she not only heard back, but she also won!

If Polly had thought that her Art Foundation Course had “opened her world”, then studying in Milan surely took ‘that world’ to another level. She was on the course with students from all over our planet – places like Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Brazil – and each one brought a wealth of beautiful influences. She says that the experience was eye-opening really broadening her horizons for what was an inspirational year.

After her degree, Polly says that she was “lucky enough” to get a job with the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design which had just opened. It was an amazing opportunity as whilst the college was a ‘start-up’ and they were a small team, they were still part of a huge multinational business. It was a double roll, as she spent time developing the brand identity and marketing of the college, speaking with all the publications in Vogue House and was lucky enough to have adverts in their magazines around the world but was also able to develop the pastoral, creative and education side as a lecturer as well. She describes her time in London as full of influences and loved designing under the aesthetic of Vogue but says, as a creative person, you always want your own outlet.

During a Beautiful Days Festival at Escot Park, Polly and her sister, Jemma Lascelles, manned a stall and sold some beautifully designed posters that Polly had created. Polly says that this was the “nugget” – the starting point – to where they are now as a business. Jemma has always been a positive influence on Polly, always standing by her. Polly says that she would never have started the shop without her sister, who Polly says, “believes in me more than I believe in myself”. Polly and Jemma seem to have the perfect working balance, with Jemma being the “numbers” person, focusing on the financial side of the business (she is a tax accountant and director of tax at Michelmores) leaving Polly to create and be free to ‘stay curious’ – her motto in life.

Polly says that something that has always stuck with her, and influences the way she does business, designs, or looks for new stock, is a Grace Coddington quote (one of Vogue’s most famous and loved fashion directors). Grace said that Norman Parkinson, (who was an iconic British Photographer) taught her to “Always keep your eyes open – never go to sleep in the car or anything like that. Keep watching – because whatever you see out the window or wherever – it can inspire you”. And Polly and Jemma’s knack of finding beautiful things is evident in the stock they gather.

Polly and Jemma named the shop to keep their maiden name ‘alive’ being the last in the line of Cranes; Polly chuckled and added, “Much to our husband’s chagrin”. They chose the word ‘kind’ as it is a multi-faceted word, and so flexible in its meaning. When I asked Polly, what changes she would make to the world, if she could only make one, she replied, “For people to be kinder to each other” and she loves the phrase “if everyone was a little bit kinder, the world would be a happier place”. Of course, we are all part of humankind, and it makes sense that we care about each other and the environment, while we are here on earth.

Originally starting out as an online store in 2015 (called Crane, Bump and Baby) Polly wanted to expand their range of baby items and diversify into some lovely adult products too. While I chatted to Polly, I couldn’t help noticing some fabulous sweatshirts (designed by Crane and Kind) and I’m told that for each adult size sold, £5.00 is donated to The World Land Trust. As Sir David Attenborough says,

“The money that is given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything I can think of.”

Polly is pleased with the way the sweatshirts have been received, saying that people really get what they are about. Roll on payday, when I may just ‘have to’ pop online to order one!

Crane and Kind’s stock is generally not easily accessible in the UK and fits with their aesthetic vision. They are exclusive stockists of a couple of brands from places like Australia, California, New Zealand and now that they have a shop, they are also proud to house some British brands too. They work with some small unique brands and they know the story behind each one and it’s that connection that they really cherish. Polly says that she wants to raise them up as much as Crane and Kind’s profile.

The shop enables her to have that human touch, she loves being involved with her customers. Some come in to buy a present for a new baby and she says,

“There is something really special about playing a small part in those really happy moments in people’s lives.”

As well as helping customers find just the right product, Polly brings her London & Milan experience to Devon, offering her graphic design services from the shop too. She has recently worked with places like Combe Estate on the development of the Combe Garden Centre as well as a number of local businesses and private clients.

By Sofy Robertson The number of people in work in the UK has continued to climb, with the latest figures showing a record 32.6 million people employed between October and December. Unemployment has changed very little in the three month period with 1.36 million people unemployed but the joblessness rate, remaining at 4%, is at […]

The number of people in work in the UK has continued to climb, with the latest figures showing a record 32.6 million people employed between October and December.

Unemployment has changed very little in the three month period with 1.36 million people unemployed but the joblessness rate, remaining at 4%, is at its lowest since 1975.

Weekly average earnings are at their highest level since March 2011 with a 3.4% increase to £494.50 in the year to December.

The number of people in work between October and December was up 167,000 from the previous quarter and 444,000 higher than at the same time in 2017.

The employment rate is defined as the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who are working. This was estimated at 75.8%, higher than the 75.2% from a year earlier and the joint-highest figure since comparable estimates began in 1971.

Employment Minister Alok Sharma commented on these figures, saying:

“While the global economy is facing many challenges, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, these figures show the underlying resilience of our jobs market – once again delivering record employment levels.” (BBC)

ONS deputy head of labour market Matt Hughes said:

“The labour market remains robust, with the employment rate remaining at a record high and vacancies reaching a new record level.

“The unemployment rate has also fallen, and for women has dropped below 4% for the first time ever.”

Despite these positive figures from previous months, Andrew Wishart, UK economist at Capital Economics, warned that next month’s figures may not be as positive.

“However, the surveys deteriorated more markedly in January, so a Brexit effect might start to weaken employment growth in the next batch of official data.”

In Devon, the figures remain positive for the time being, with the proportion of residents actively participating in Devon’s economy remaining above the national average at 80.8% compared to 78% nationally.

Despite a sharp fall of 3% in the second half of 2016, economic activity has been increasing steadily across Devon since mid-2011 and the total labour force has increased in size.

Self-employment rates in Devon are 4.5% above the national average. This follows a traditional theme of self-employment in Devon, especially in the more peripheral districts such as Torridge and North Devon where there may be fewer job opportunities.

One of the UK’s leading dog photographers is relocating to Exeter, Devon. Award-winning Rhian White specialises in taking beautifully shot, natural looking pictures of dogs for both domestic and commercial shoots. With this in mind, Devon with its unspoilt beaches and scenic countryside particularly appealed to Rhian as a location for her unique and vibrant […]

One of the UK’s leading dog photographers is relocating to Exeter, Devon. Award-winning Rhian White specialises in taking beautifully shot, natural looking pictures of dogs for both domestic and commercial shoots.

With this in mind, Devon with its unspoilt beaches and scenic countryside particularly appealed to Rhian as a location for her unique and vibrant photographs.

Rhian said:

“It’s important to me to capture dogs in their natural environment, enjoying themselves rather than artificially forcing them to sit still and pose in way that does not show the dog’s real personality.

“I always take images of the dogs in the open air, therefore, the stunning backdrop provide by Devon particularly appeals to me. I aim to put both the dogs and their families at ease so that I can capture them at their best, and most alive”.

Rhian’s shoots are
tailored specifically to individual dogs, and she aims to make them happy and
relaxed.

With the aim of providing a personalised experience, Rhian tries to get as much information about an individual dog, their needs, and where they like to go before she plans a shoot.

Rhian is also able to take portraits of families with their dogs, who she includes in the process as much as possible, ensuring the experience is one they “enjoy and cherish”.

As well as photographing domestic dogs, Rhian also has considerable experience of working on commercial shoots for local, national and international organisations. Firms she has worked for include PDSA, Dog’s Trust, Dogfit, Animology, Woof and Brew and Support Dogs, among many others.

Her photographs have been published in The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, Dog’s Today magazine, Dog Friendly magazine and was featured on the cover of Amateur Photographer magazine.

Having initially
trained in TV production in Liverpool in the late 90s, Rhian went on to work as
a graphic designer at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford for five years before
starting a career in photography and film making.

She has worked across photographic and film-making disciplines, including wedding and corporate photography, videos and corporate film.

In addition, Rhian has run workshops on photography, film, graphic design and animation for a whole array of people – school children, teachers, young offenders and business owners. She currently offers sessions for enthusiasts who want to learn how to take better photographs of their own dogs which she calls “Mastering outdoor dog photography”. These workshops take place outside across beautiful and varied locations across Devon.

A dog-lover herself, Rhian has two pugs named Boo and Betsy. It was Boo that actually inspired her to start photographing dogs when she purchased her ten years ago. Rhian found a great deal of enjoyment in capturing her “playing around and having so much fun”, prompting her to combine the two passions. Rhian’s motto is “if it’s not fun, you’re not doing it right and even better if combined with a beautiful sunset!”

For further information on Rhian’s photography and courses, visit her website or Facebook page or follow her on Twitter: @rwhitedogimages .